Saying Yes
by cosima-phine
Summary: 'You're Late' sequel. We know that there's an inevitable happily ever after, but no relationship is perfect. The missing moments all begin just a year and half later at the peak of the women's unfolding love story. Now, with two tickets and a ring, Delphine finds herself taking Cosima to France for the summer of a lifetime.
1. Prologue

There's no simple way to explain how it feels to fall in love.

Delphine, with delicate thoughts always rolling at the tip of her tongue, claims it to be as subtle as a thief in the night. She holds firm to the belief that it has the propensity to slowly collect parts of you over time until one day you wake up and your soul, in its entirety, has been claimed by another.

Cosima, who's nothing short of impulse and whimsical notions, fully believes that it happens within moments. She's true to the theory of humans being capable of finding the perfect mate in just seconds of meeting.

Regardless, the last year and a half in the confines of each other's hearts, the two women are wholesomely and completely in _love_.

Warm arms were wrapped around Cosima's waist, clasped wrists tucked just within her ribs, securing her flush against the equally bare body behind her. The warm covers of the duvet had fallen past their shoulders at some point in the night (or early hours of the morning), coaxing the women to seek warmth from the bodies of their counterpart's.

"Mmph." She grumbled, a small yawn peeking from behind her teeth and she smiled groggily.

Warm lips sought their way across the expanse of skin from one shoulder blade to the other, taking their time rousing her from sleep. Cosima smiled, basking in the simplicity of the summer sun pouring in through the window.

With both women on summer vacation, most mornings were spent as such, sometimes falling into an afternoon of twisted bed sheets and sweaty skin. She _lived_ for the those mornings, having not slept alone for all this time now, her body needing to feel the warmth and comfort of the Frenchwoman.

Delphine's mouth continued its journey up her neck, tantalizingly slow and lingering enough to let Cosima drop her chin down, exposing more skin to the blonde woman's expense. "Morning."

"Bonjour." She rasped, loosening her grip around Cosima's body just enough to let her turn towards her.

In one swift move, both women were pressed at the juts of hips and foreheads, noses butterflying against each other in the same notion they shared since the very beginning.

Delphine smiled, nudging her lover's chin with her own to chastely press their lips together. "How are you?" she whispered, nipping her lip lightly before pulling away.

Cosima smirked, shrugging her tired shoulders and rubbing her thumbs along the jut of Delphine's bare hipbones. "Sore. A good sore."

"I'm sure." Delphine rolled her eyes, a thin smile playing on her lips. "I'm going to shower. Are you coming with me?"

Regretting it the moment she does so, Cosima shakes her head in a futile _no. "_ I have a better idea." She teased, her voice dropping to a dangerous husk as her wandering fingers travelled dangerously close to the inner boundaries of the blonde woman's thighs. They still ached, freshly marked by Cosima's tongue and teeth just hours prior to waking. The tremble of muscle made them both gasp, Cosima smirkingand leaving Delphine to pout as she twisted from her grasp.

"I need to shower." She sighed with as much regret as Cosima had. The day had already been halfway spent sleeping. If she didn't leave now, they never would, and she needed some sort of productivity in her life.

"Oh no, don't do that." Cosima warned, pressing her lips strongly against equally tender ones. "You're going to make me feel all sorts of..."

"Hmph." Delphine chided, pulling away hastily and unfolding herself from the bed sheets.

Cosima watched her swing her legs over the end of the bed, leaving her to feast upon the French woman's back as she stretched and bowed her tender limbs. Cosima's eyes travelled about on the constellation of moles and beauty marks that she'd grown to memorize, restraining herself from reaching out and pulling the woman back down into her arms.

Without a second glance, Delphine sauntered off the bathroom, the swing of her hips a little more teasing than usual, riling Cosima up all over again. The eventual sound of the spray from the showerhead was enough to convince the small American to get up from bed. With less half of any concern, Cosima pulled on whatever comfort clothes she could find, wandering over to the living room where she collapsed lazily into the cushions of the sofa, allowing her gaze to wander around the room.

The apartment had taken quite the spin from Delphine's original structure. It's preceding façade of minimalist furniture and bare walls were now replaced with piles of Cosima's books on shelves, tea mugs on every available surface, and pictures of them in small, cozy frames.

It was a gradual change, the brunette honestly just forgetting stuff at the apartment the more she stayed, and eventually she had enough clothes lying about that Delphine offered her a drawer, then half the closet, and an eventual key so she could get in when she wasn't around. It wasn't a grand display of 'taking the next step', but a simple quiet moment, like much of everything they've experienced together.

Cosima smiled as her eyes continued to glance around, eyeing a photo of them that Delphine absolutely _loathed_ but Cosima had convinced her to keep. It was pressed half-hazardly on the refrigerator with a DNA magnet, a perfectly candid shot of the two women tumbling over each other on the ice at Kira's birthday party, clinging to one another for dear life. She could still hear the slew of French profanities slipping from her girlfriend's mouth as they crashed to the ground that day, both sauntering around with bruised bottoms for the better half of a week.

"What are you laughing at?"

Cosima craned her neck up, shaken from her daydream as she saw her blonde beauty toweling off her curly locks in front of her. She was donned in simple linen pants that Cosima simply loved to caress over her thighs, nothing but a semi sheer tank top that flowed all too well atop her shoulders. She dropped the towel across the arm of a chair, sauntering over to her love.

"Well aren't you a sight for sore eyes." She smirked, winking at her. Delphine rolled her eyes, a tired chuckle slipping past her. "I was just thinking."

"What about?" she asked curiously.

"You. Us." She shrugged, offering her lap. Delphine nearly obliged, instead suiting to take residence in the space next to her on the windowsill. "How happy you make me."

Cosima lips pursed into a thin smile, a desperate attempt not to break out into a full giggle of admiration. "Ditto. Obvs."

"A woman of many words." Delphine laughed, her hand clasping Cosima's thigh, pulling her legs to lay across her lap.

"We all know that you're the verbal one in this relationship, dude."

Delphine rolled her eyes, watching as Cosima turned herself to place her head in Delphine's lap, pulling her girlfriends hands to her head to play with her dreads.

"I have to disagree." Delphine pondered, meticulous fingers playing with the baby hairs across the American's hairline. "You were very verbal last night. Especially in the shower… and the kitchen… the bed…" Each notion accentuated with a gentle kiss on her face, the last one landing soundly on the lips, damp blonde hair cascading around the faces for the briefest of moments before she lifted her head.

"And I'm the cheeky one." Cosima smirked, a low wave of heat briefly coursing her body.

Delphine shrugged the thought from her shoulders, eyes heavy as they mentally traced the contours of her lovers face. "Je t'aime." She whispered.

The broadest of grins spread evenly across Cosima's lips, a small gasp sounded with a flutter of her heartbeat trailing behind. Even after all this time, the declaration still had her feeling like the first time she heard it.

 _6 months ago_

"Cosima!" she yelled, feet carrying her as fast as they could managed. She watched her dreadlocked counterpart bound ahead of her, the golden sunlight haloing her nimble frame. "Cosima, wait!"

She finally paused turning around with the brightest of smiles on her face that had Delphine's knees buckling. The American laughed, throwing her head back and extending her hand forward, folding her fingers over Delphine's the minute she felt them in her grasp.

"Slowpoke." She teased, tugging the blonde woman closer to kiss her squarely on the lips before turning on her heel and guiding them the rest of the way through the grassy park area.

She wasn't sure why Cosima thought it'd be a good idea to go out to an open field for their one year anniversary. She wasn't even aware that they _had_ an anniversary! But Cosima was cunning, keeping the dates of their important moments tucked away in the back of her mind, holding fast to them whenever they reappeared.

Today, for instance, makes a year since Delphine hunted her down in that club, pulling her away to tell her that she wanted to be with her. Dates be damned if Cosima were to never remember one again, but this day, _oh,_ this day, how she will keep it in her heart forever.

They walked quietly for the remainder of the time, Cosima finally settling them on a rather a particularly large rock-bed, one of many that bordered the river, cold water crashing across its base.

"Come, sit." She gestured, plopping on the cold stone with as much grace as Delphine's students.

The blonde pursed her lips, knowing the surface would be quite cold in the January winds despite the bright sun. Throwing caution away, Delphine gingerly placed herself down beside Cosima, their legs outstretched in front of them as their arms and hips were practically on top of each other, neither waiting to lose contact.

"It's beautiful here, cherie." She sighed, almost wanting to whisper to keep the quiet ambiance in tact. She found their hands once more, but instead of pulling Cosima closer, the brunette shimmied and plopped her head in her lap, grabbing Delphine's hands to pay with the baby hairs around her hairline.

"Ain't it?" she smiled, eyes fluttering lovingly behind her glasses. "I used to come here a lot in undergrad and shit. Nobody really comes here."

"It is like your own secret place."

"Mhmm. My own secret place." She hummed. "But I wanted to bring you here today."

"Why's that?" Delphine asked quietly, leaning back on her free arm to look out onto the water below them. She felt Cosima tense for a moment in her lap, practically hearing the gears grinding her head. "Talk to me?"

She swallowed loudly, biting at her bottom lip in the same motion that her girlfriend always seemed to do. "Do you remember back in March when we went to that big park downtown to watch the nighttime movie on the grass?"

"Yeah." Delphine snorted, rolling her eyes at the memory. "We were so cold that night, all we had were our sweaters."

"And each other!" Cosima laughed.

"Oui. And each other." Her smile was bright, illuminating Cosima's heart in it's entirety. "What of that day, Cosima?"

Her hands fumbled in her laugh nervously, licking in her lips as if trying to coax the thoughts out. "I uhm, I realized something that day. When I was freezing my ass off sitting between your legs, and you were holding onto me for dear life trying to get warm, too."

Delphine was silent, cocking her head to the side. She studied Cosima's face, the worry in the shake of her eyes. The features that she had long since memorized every night and morning, had traced with her fingers like a map, had kissed with her lips repeatedly. She knew when Cosima was about to say something she'd regret, she knew the distinct look of pure _fear_ that bound that her.

With a slant of a smile, Delphine grabbed the woman's hands next to her, pulling them into her own lab and rubbing them soothingly between her palms and fingers.

"Hey." She breathed, coaxing Cosima to lift her head. She was met with Delphine's long gaze, their foreheads meeting in the middle as she brushed their noses together, an act that has long since established itself in their relationship. "It's okay." She assured quietly, briefly kissing her.

"You already know don't you?" Cosima asked, her voice a shaky whisper. Delphine smiled, pulling their hands apart to cup her cheek, bringing their faces together again, their lips meeting slowly, lazily atop one another.

"I do." She laughed, feeling Cosima wrap her arms around her body, pulling her impossibly closer. "And I love you, too."

The words barely got out of her mouth before Cosima was pushing her back, laying her against the tide rocks, covering her body with her own in a mass of fervent kisses.

"I wanted this to be special." She mumbled against her mouth in frustration, unable to contain a giggle whilst her hands roamed the frenchwoman's body. "I even brought you to my secret place. I had this big speech in my head on how I was going to tell you."

Delphine sighed, rolling her eyes and laughing as she settled her head on the cold rock, letting Cosima's hands caress at her temples and hairline. "Luckily for me, I can read you like a book. You're always late." She teased. "And you still haven't said it back-"

" _I love you!"_ she jumped, grabbing Delphine's face this time, bracing her cheeks and jaw in her grasp and holding their heads close. "I love you. I love you and I've known for way too long and I didn't know when I should tell you so yesterday I just said fuck it, because I love you and I wanted you to know-"

A square kiss silenced her, save for the whimper and sigh that slipped her lips as Delphine pulled herself up, sitting in her lap as they clung to each other.

"Je t'aime." She breathed against shaky lips, tears stinging her eyes. "I love you, too."

"Je t'aime." Cosima tried, swiping the tears from Delphine's rosy cheeks. "So much."

 _Present Time_

"Ditto." She cooed, earning a click of the tongue from Delphine.

"Are we doing anything today? She asked quietly, adjusting herself quietly.

Cosima moved to ponder for a moment before shaking her head, loose dreads whipping in the movement. "Mm, nope. Why?"

"Curiosity. I thought maybe we could stay inside today." She licked her lips, eyes flicking across the room in contemplation. "Besides, there's something I want to show you."

She could hear the gasp in Cosima before she saw it, a child's smile plastered quickly across her face, reaching her ears with ease. "A surprise? A gift?" she asked quickly.

"Of sorts." Delphine laughed at the sight, hoisting herself up off the sill. She couldn't manage to get too far, Cosima hands were bracing her hips, pulling her forward between her legs once more for a kiss.

"I can't give it to you if you don't let me go." She mumbled against an eager mouth that was all honey and cannibas.

"I'll never let you go." Her words, though simple, were rooted far deeper than their surface appearance. The notion didn't go over Delphine's head, who grabbed the dreadlock woman by the cheeks, kissing her deeply, but quickly, before pulling back, padding down the hallway with the promise of return.

She heard Cosima groan in the distance, laughing as she touched her fingers to her lips. It simply _amazed_ her how they still tingled and buzzed as if it was their first. She remembers quite fondly that night at her workplace beneath the mistletoe, the foreign feel of a woman's lips against her own, unsteady and quivering. How long ago it seemed now.

She silently made her way into her room- _their_ room? Cosima had practically moved in now, even having her own key. Maybe it _was_ their room now.

She didn't allow herself to dwell for too long, instead quickly moving to her vanity, sitting down and opening the drawer to where she knew the small brass key was tucked away in. Quickly and carefully she opened the jewelry box on the surface. It's aging lock fixture clicking carefully as she turned the key. The jewelry box was practically as old as she was, her grandparents gifting it to her when she was born, knowing it was to be of good use one day. As it was.

Delphine's hands found the envelope she was looking for, sitting right atop her jewelry carefully. She grabbed it, turning it over in her hands while her heart picked up speed. The ring inside it was blatant, tenting the paper of the envelope with its size.

"Oh." She gasped, her breath a shudder as overwhelming emotions flooded her heart.

She had bought it weeks ago of course, but it still gave her chills whenever she saw it, wanting to desperately to see it on Cosima's hand already, to kiss it every night, to watch her show it off to her family with that astounding glint in her eye. But the time wasn't right, the place wasn't right. Soon, though. Soon.

As carefully as she could, Delphine opened the envelope, seeing the ring in all its glory. She smiled, reaching down to graze the metal with a careful finger. Not wanting to dwell for too long, Delphine reached for the rest of the envelope's contents, the two airplane tickets neatly pressed together.

" _Delphine?"_

The charming voice floated from down the hall, rousing her from her thoughts. She nearly forgot that Cosima was still waiting for her to return. Reversing her actions as quickly as she could, Delphine tucked the envelope with the ring back into the jewelry box, still holding the tickets tucked away in her palm, locking the box and hiding the key. She gave herself a pathetic one-over in the mirror before retreating back out into the main room, an eager girlfriend sitting on the window sill, swinging her legs back and forth above the floor.

"There you are." She grinned, hands outstretched, grabbing for her love as she sauntered over. "Well?"

"Well?" she teased, a tight smirk pulling at the corner of her mouth.

"Delphine! Come on!"

The Frenchwoman laughed, shaking her head as she took Cosima by the wrist, pulling her forward the slightest bit. Before she could get much further in her pursuit, a loud rapping on her door sounded.

"Putain…" she muttered, dropping her grip on her lover's hand.

"Ignore it!" Cosima laughed, pulling Delphine in by the hips, bumping their bones together. "What were you gonna show me?"

" _Oy! Lovebirds! Quit your shagging and open the door!"_

"Oh you've got to be fucking kidding-"

" _I know you're in there!"_

Delphine grumbled, bumping their foreheads and kissing Cosima briefly before prying her hands away. "Go sit, I'll take care of him."

"Mm. This is why I love you." Cosima mumbled, sauntering off to the couch. Delphine took the unabashed moment to ogle at the swing of the American's hips as she plopped herself down on the couch before the obnoxious banging on the door rekindled itself, pulling her from her daydream as she stomped over to the door.

"Well hello, darling." A smirk dressed in nothing less than amusement creased his face, eyebrows high as he watched Delphine cross her arms in the doorway.

"Hello, Felix." She sighed. "Anything you need?"

"A word with my sister would be _phenomenal."_

" _Little busy!"_ a loud voice hollered from inside the apartment.

Felix gasped, clearly offended, looking to Delphine who only shrugged with a coy smirk in response.

"Oh god, don't smile like that. You look just like Cosima." He groaned, fanning his hand away. "Honestly though, am I interrupting?"

The grin only spread, a liveliness bubbling in her at the mere mention of the woman's name. With the tickets still gripped in her palm, she shifted her arms, holding them discreetly in front of her chest for Felix to see, her body a shield from her girlfriend's possible wandering eyes.

"Holy shit, you actually got them." He whispered excitedly, stepping forward to grab them and stare, Delphine's grin still plastered across her face. "And she doesn't know? You're sure."

"Quite."

It was then that Felix was still, soundless as he just smiled warmly up towards the woman in front of him. "My God." He mumbled. "You're actually doing this."

She nodded slowly, heart beating madly at the still gaze Felix held firm to. "I am."

He was silent for a moment, a hint of a smile on his lips as he simply gazed at the woman before him, reflecting on how far she's come from the first time he even heard of her.

"I just can't believe it." He mumbled. "God, do you remember how long it took us to find that bloody ring?" he laughed. "I thought we were going to be there for days."

She shoved his shoulder lightly, unable to stifle the laugh peeking through her own lips. "You would have never let me live it down if I didn't pick out the right ring, anyway."

"Mm. That _is_ true. Cosima looked at us bloody lunatics when we told her that we were going out for lunch."

"I don't think she ever thought we'd spend time together." Delphine hummed in memory.

"It is quite stunning, that ring you picked.- and don't worry, love. Before you even ask, my lips have been sealed. Your little cliché secret is safe with me." He assured. "God, a proposal beneath the bloody Eiffel Tower. How disgustingly French."

"Yes, but Cosima will love it."

Felix laughed, eyes crinkling in agreement. "Oh that she will. Poor girl is a sucker for hopeless romantic gestures. You two… you two fit."

Delphine opened her mouth to speak but was quickly interrupted with a long groan of her name sounding from inside.

"I think you're being beckoned _Miss_ Cormier. Though, not for long." He winks. "Go. Tell her I just came to ask where Sarah was or something."

Delphine wasn't sure what came over herself, but she quickly found herself pulling Felix into a deep hug, kissing her cheeks quickly. Though stunned, he wrapped his arms around her as well, sensing the nerves that were riding through her system. He left silently, leaving nothing but eyes of assurance as he dipped away and she popped back into the apartment.

"There you are." Cosima sighed, pushing herself off the couch to stand toe to toe with her love, shifting uneasily on the balls of her feet in anticipation. "Well?"

Delphine heart was racing, fully convinced that it was bound to beat right out of her chest in a few moments. With shaky hands, she reached for Cosima's wrists, turning the woman's ringed fingers palm-up. Silently, she pressed the tickets into them with such precarious ease that she was sure they were made of glass, too scared to actually let go.

Cosima's eyes looked between Delphine's face, her bottom lip worried between her teeth, and their hands. It was when she looked down for the final time did her eyes finally catch her surprise.

"Are you going to say something?" she asked quietly, biting her lip as Cosima looked at the tickets, reading them over and over again, swallowing loudly.

"Is this for real?" she stuttered, a smile spreading across her face as she looked up with wide eyes. Delphine nodded frantically, her nerves finally soothing.

"Yes, my love. If- if you want to go that is."

"Holy shit, dude. This is for next week."

"Well, France is beautiful in the summer." She smiled right before Cosima was lunging at her, wrapping herself along the slender body and smothering her with kisses. Delphine was quick, holding Cosima's thighs that were wrapped around her waist tightly.

"I cannot believe we're going to France. How did you even do this? When did you buy them?"

"I bought them when you said you've always wanted to visit-"

"That was like three months ago!"

Delphine laughed against Cosima's mouth, walking them to the couch and attempting to sit in the most ungraceful of ways. Cosima settled on her lap, grinding her hips down and eliciting a throaty groan from her girlfriend. "I wanted to surprise you. And I think it's due time I visit home."

"God." Cosima groaned as Delphine's lips licked up her neck, nibbling at the sensitive skin just behind her earlobe. . "I'm so in love with you."

Hands began to wander dangerously across freshly showered skin, still warm from the sting of the shower. Delphine whimpered, falling prey to Cosima's slow, gratuitous touches.

The vibration of Cosima's phone next to them cut their gratuitous celebrations short, Delphine turning her head and Cosima's lips grumpily gliding across her cheek.

"Your phone." She mumbled, earning an eye roll from Cosima.

"Yes, thank you." Cosima tried her best to pull Delphine back to her but instead watched the blonde woman reach for her phone and hand it over.

"It's your mother." She noted, glancing at the caller ID while Cosima answered it and put it on speaker.

"Yeah?" she asked with a croak, Delphine's hips settling across her lap, lips trailing across her neck. " _Shit."_

"Language!" scolded the voice booming through the other end of the line, causing both women to color a deep scarlet, Delphine still shamelessly claiming land across Cosima's throat. "I was just calling to see how things are, we haven't heard from you two in a few days."

Cosima rolled her eyes, biting at her lip before remembering the two tickets in her hand. "Mom. Guess what." She exclaimed, catching Delphine's eyes and offering her the most genuine of grins. "We're going to France!"

* * *

Well, hello again! It's been a while, hasn't it? This is apparently far overdue and I apologize for that. Unfortunately, this story won't be updated nearly as frequently as its first installation was. School and work will be occupying the vast majority of my time right now, but I promise that this story won't be abandoned or anything. So so so many of you asked for a sequel, and after giving it a lot of thought, I decided that a sequel was well deserved. Thanks so much for reading, you're all the best! See you back here soon!


	2. Chapter 1

It's been a while, hasn't it? So sorry. Time seemed to have gotten away from me these past few months. Hopefully this somewhat makes up for my prolonged absence!

* * *

 **One**

Delphine was acutely aware of the hand gripping her arm, spinning her around and pulling her into a deep kiss. They were just barely three steps out of the boarding terminal of their plane, passengers grumbling their annoyance as they maneuvered around the embracing couple. It wasn't until she felt the dangerous swipe of Cosima's tongue across her bottom lip did Delphine finally pull away, a flustered smile being framed by errant curls falling around her face.

"Cosima." she mumbled against still eager lips, laughing at her girlfriend's urgency. "Cherie, wait!"

"Mmph." she whined, tip-toeing up for one last peck. "I just want to kiss my French girlfriend, who I love so much, in a French airport on French soil. Is that so much to ask?" The tiny American grumbled, allowing herself to be pulled down the busy hallway towards baggage claim, their fingers slotted perfectly together as they funneled through the busy crowds.

It was slightly less congested down there, people moving by the masses to circle around their designated conveyer belts. Delphine was in no rush to retrieve their luggage, more than willing to let the crowd attack and disperse before making a move to go in. Instead she turned on her heel, their conjoined hands never breaking apart.

"No," she laughed, pulling Cosima closer and resting her free hand on the back of her neck. She toyed with the baby hairs she found there, pulling her closer, feeling her breath tickle her skin. "It's not. I am _French_ , we enjoy lovers."

"Hopefully I'm the only one." she quipped. There was only time to see Cosima's quick smirk before their lips met again, soft and pliant as they moved over each other in well-practiced motions.

In the back of her mind, Delphine was practically bursting with the excitement of being home. It had been many years since she had visited France. Although she had long ago contended that America was her home, the feeling of sanctuary that being back in the country offered her simply could not be matched. To add to the joyous swelling of her heart, Cosima was with her to share the moment.

Normally, public displays of affection were something that Delphine turned her head away from, but this past year and a half had proven that she simply does not care about what other people think, and that she's more than willing to kiss her girlfriend wherever she pleases. Whether it be in airport terminals or classrooms for this matter.

Girlfriend.

The word still tickled when it rolled off her tongue, sending the butterflies in her stomach into a frenzy. She'd be lying if she said some of her nights leading up to their flight weren't spent wide awake, her mind full of worry about her family's reaction to her _girlfriend._

There was no doubt anymore that she wanted them to meet each other. She had decided long ago that Cosima was more of her family now than anybody ever could be. Cosima and all her siblings, that is. She had grown much closer the large family once the school year was over and Kira was no longer her student. Family outings, sleepovers, and vacations were frequented, Cosima always insisting that Delphine came in tow.

"Dude, we're totally in France right now." Cosima mumbled against Delphine's lips, breaking her train of thought. Ringed fingers dug into her hips a bit more firmly, pulling her closer than she originally considered possible. Both of them reveled in the way their bodies slotted together perfectly, a mold that had been waiting to meet its match for far too long.

"Oui, I know." she smiled, reluctantly pulling away once more, but not before nudging their noses together. "Why don't you grab our suitcases, and I will look for-"

" _Delphine_!"

Her name soared through the bustling crowd, the voice all too familiar and much too missed. She whipped her head around, hands still holding tight to Cosima as her eyes locked with the gentleman standing near the exitway. His smile, almost as wide as Cosima's, was shining brightly, a long arm extended in the air and waving with a rather enthusiastic speed towards the couple. In no time he was in front of them, embracing Delphine and kissing her cheeks.

Cosima stood back and watched, the delight upon her girlfriend's face sourcing from a place she had yet to discover. It was love, that she was certain, but not in the same way. No, this was a love from nostalgia, an adoration that had been waved off long ago. Just from observing, she felt in her heart as if she was seeing an old friend again, too.

"Adam!" she praised, squeezing him tightly once more. "Ça va _?"_

"Oui, ça va." he assured, cheeks rosy with benevolence. Adam, standing at just about Delphine's height with slightly disheveled hair and crisp-ironed clothes, turned to face a very patient Cosima. "Allo! Cosima, oui?"

"Yeah-uh, oui." she stuttered, rubbing at the back of her neck sheepishly.

Delphine smiled, moving back to Cosima's side and grabbing her hand, squeezing it assuringly. "Cosima, this is Adam. We were neighbors growing up and attended school together. He offered to pick us up from the airport."

"The, em, best of friends!" he piped in. "English then, yes?"

"Ha, yes please. Don't want to butcher your language more than I already have." Cosima smiled, side eyeing Delphine teasingly. "It's nice to meet you, man."

Before the last words could slip out of her mouth, Cosima found herself being kissed on either cheek, a formality she had not been accustomed to receiving since initially meeting Delphine.

"The pleasure is mine, Cosima." he said with a broad smile, stepping back. With a loud clap of his hands and a quick glance at the couple, he stepped back. "Have you got all of your bags? We should get going now, it is quite a drive."

"Yeah, alright." she nodded, leaning forward for another quick kiss before letting Delphine lead her out the door. She listened to the rapid-fire french exchange between the two friends, the excitement in Delphine's voice nothing short of obvious.

Cosima took it upon herself to breathe in a strong breath, puffing her chest out with every stride before exhaling loudly as she strode next to her girlfriend.

"Let me guess," Delphine said, quipping an eyebrow towards her girlfriend. "Breathing the French air?"

Cosima flashed her a typical grin. "You got it." she teased, helping Delphine into the car and closing the door before joining Adam at the trunk to help load their bags.

"Thanks for picking us up, by the way." she said quietly to the man beside her, winking at Delphine when the woman turned around to see them in the rear window.

"Of course!" he exclaimed with a genuine smile. "When Delphine called me, I couldn't deny the opportunity to see my friend again."

Cosima shrugged, a broad smile on her face. "It's really nice of you. I'm so excited to be here, dude."

It was then that she caught Adam's eye, a knowing stare on his face with the most subtle curl of his lips. "I, em, I think this will be a… a very memorable trip for you." he said. Cosima's eyes narrowed, trying to read his cryptic expression.

"Uh, yeah. I'd think so. It's France!"

Adam chuckled, nodding his head in the American's excitement. "It is." he quipped as he closed the trunk. "I am very glad you two have found each other, you know. You make her very happy. I honestly never thought Delphine would come to France again."

"Like, because of her parents and shit?" Cosima asked.

Adam shrugged, his head lolling side to side in thought. "Yes… and no. She was never happy here. Delphine's life here was school. Her academics were everything, yes, and that within itself nearly killed her. Moving to America changed everything for her. For the better."

His voice was solemn, it's playful tone lost. Cosima couldn't help but just listen, soaking in the words of this stranger who suddenly seemed to know more about Delphine than she did. "Y-yeah," she stuttered. "School can be pretty rough."

"No, Cosima. I mean- actually, nevermind. That is not mine to disclose. We really should get going! It's a bit of a drive."

Cosima was eager to press Adam for more, but he was already rounding the vehicle and getting in. She sighed, making a mental note to ask about it later. Instead, she shook her head, smiling and reminding herself that she was about to start on her vacation of a lifetime. She clamored into the car, hands immediately found each other, holding tight.

"So." Cosima hummed, her thumb stroking the top of Delphine's hand. "You haven't told me where we're staying."

"Oh, um." Delphine licked her lips, catching Adam's eye in his rear view mirror. "It is a surprise!" she settled with.

Cosima grumbled, shifting closer to her girlfriend and leaving a lingering kiss on her cheek. "As much as I love surprises, can I at least get a hint?" she mumbled against the soft skin against her lips, allowing Delphine to turn kiss her briefly.

"Fine. Just a small one." she conceded. "We have the whole… space, to ourselves."

"Dude… did you buy out the whole hotel?" she deadpanned.

Both Delphine and Adam laughed at this, shaking her head quickly. "Non, no. More like a very small, how do you say, vacation home?" she hinted skeptically.

The look on Cosima's face made Delphine's heart practically bloom. Eyes wide and smile wider, the American woman practically jumped in her seat, a hand going to the back of Delphine's neck for a gratuitous kiss.

' _Perfect_.' Delphine thought blissfully. The moment, the _moments_ to come, would be absolutely perfect. In a few short hours, they'd be settling in and starting their first real vacation together. A vacation that Delphine hoped would be one of a lifetime. As Cosima's lips moved over her own, she thought about the ring, nestled securely in her luggage in the trunk, waiting patiently for it's debut when they ventured to Paris. She smiled into their kiss, pressing forward once more before pulling away and settling her head in the crook of Cosima's neck, closing her eyes.

When they arrived, she had already fallen asleep, missing Cosima's initial reaction to seeing the home. She was so quick to get out of the car, leaving Adam and Delphine still in the car as she whipped out her phone to start taking pictures.

They bid their farewell to Adam, kisses and hugs all around as he promised to see them again soon. Delphine handed the keys to her girlfriend from her pocket, assuming she would then help with the luggage. Not to her surprise, though, Cosima was gone, already practically skipping towards the door.

She laughed aloud, watching the petite woman gawk at the estate in front of her. Everything was as Delphine remembered it, not a stone nor shingle out of place.

"Small vacation home, my ass. Dude… this place is literally a castle. "

Cosima wasn't wrong. The building was a bit on the larger side of what she was imagining it to be. When Delphine had told her 'small vacation home', she pictured a small, quaint building nestled in semi-solitutde. Instead, they were greeted by a large stone manor, the facade filled with stained windows and grand double doors that had Cosima's jaw slack on her face.

Delphine barely had time to respond, the echo of Cosima's feet running down the hall interrupting her thoughts. She shook her head, a small smile pulling at the corners of her lips, and hauled their luggage through the large door, kicking it closed behind her.

"I wouldn't say castle." she mumbled under her breath, locking the door behind her and allowing their bags to fall from her aching arms in a heap on the floor. She looked around, taking in the sight in front of her. The stairs, winding up to the next floor, were currently occupied by her out-of-breath girlfriend who was still in the midst of her exploration.

"This is _so_ rad." she wheezed, a wide smile painted across her face as she watched Delphine saunter over to her, allowing herself to be gathered in her arms. "There's so many doors upstairs in that hallway. We have to go explore!"

"I'm glad you approve." Delphine said quietly, pressing a lingering kiss to her either of her flushed cheeks. "Thrilled, actually."

"Of course I do." Cosima hummed, shifting slightly to press their lips together, wrapping her arms around the small of Delphine's waist and pulling her closer, the steps giving her a bit of a height advantage.

"Cosima." Delphine warned against eager lips, not yet moving to pull away. "We really should put our things away. It was a long flight."

" _Delphine."_ she groaned, rolling her eyes as she felt firm hands push slightly at her hips. "Can't I kiss my French girlfriend in a French castle in peace?"

"It's not a castle!" she laughed, grabbing Cosima's hand and leading her down the steps to their bags. She huffed, begrudgingly taking her suitcase and following Delphine back up the stairs and down the hall to the bedroom.

"What's this door lead to- holy shit." Cosima gaped, allowing Delphine to pull her into the room. "I think this is the size of my whole apartment."

Delphine merely chuckled, already setting out to put away their clothes in the large armoire. "Hardly, cherie." she waved off, watching her girlfriend wander to the large bed in the middle of the room.

She caught the mischievous glint in Cosima's eye, watching the tiny brunette slip out of her shoes and run her hand along the linens on the bed. "What are you doing?" she warned quietly..

"Who me? Nothing…" Cosima simply shrugged over her shoulder, earning a rather quizitive eye from her girlfriend.

Delphine clicked her tongue, laughing quietly as she hoisted herself up, an armful of toiletries and makeup bags in tow. "I'm going to put these away." she said, passing through the large door that led to a master bath.

As soon as the door closed behind her, Delphine was practically a frantic mess. She dropped the various items that were gathered in her arms onto the large countertop, eyes scanning furiously.

"Dieu." she sighed, shaking the worry from her head and continued searching for the particular case. Spotting the black fabric, she grabbed at it, unzipping it quickly and immediately seeing velvet box nestled on the bottom. She pulled the ring box out, opening it and grabbing the band, running it between her fingers with precision care.

She had spent days trying to decide when would be a good time to give it to Cosima, wanting the moment to be absolutely perfect. After hours of lost sleep and arguing with Felix, they decided mutually that the Eiffel Tower would be perfect for Cosima. As much as the woman denied it, she was a hopeless romantic and a lover of famous sights. Now it was down to a matter of _when_ they would go to Paris, which left Delphine constantly wondering.

Her nights, once filled with silence and comfort beside her love, were instead occupied by dreams of the ring on Cosima's finger, their wedding day, their _plans_ coming true. Her heart fluttered at the reminiscent thoughts, a smile as broad as her girlfriend's moving over her face. She was quite sure Cosima would say yes, there was almost no doubt in her mind. For the second time in her life, she was sure of something.

Delphine ran her fingers along the cold surface, gazing at the large room in the reflection of the mirror in front of her. The vaguely familiar background giving her a small wind of melancholy. She knew it was a bit of a risk taking Cosima here, apprehensive of her reaction if she figured out where they were, but Delphine remained hopeful.

She couldn't help but slip the ring onto her own finger, holding it out in front of herself to gaze at it. It was quite beautiful, but she knew in her heart that it was made for Cosima's hand, not hers.

Her thoughts were quickly knocked by a rhythmic squeaking sound from outside the door, subtle but just enough to have Delphine's ears turning. She quickly tucked the ring back into the bag, setting their belongings away and hiding it in plain sight.

"Cosima!" she gasped, opening the door back to the bedroom. She watched with wide eyes as the tiny brunette repeatedly launched herself into the air, the springs of the massive mattress squeaking beneath her determined feet.

"Come on!" she pleaded with a deep belly laugh, "You know you want to!"

Delphine huffed, folding her arms across her chest and biting down on her lip to suppress a grin. "I'm not going to _jump_ on a bed, Cosima. Get down!"

"Make me." she deadpanned, hands on her hips as she continued to leap.

"Cosima…" she challenged, slowly strutting to the bed.

She didn't relent, continuing her steady rhythm even as Delphine kicked her shoes off, anchoring her hands to the bed, finally snatching at Cosima's leg and pulling her down with a squeal.

In no time, Delphine was over her, pushing the American to the middle of the bed and straddling her legs over her hips.

"Hm, Dr. Cormier, you don't play fair." she smirked. Delphine raised her brow, matching Cosima's cheekiness tenfold and pinning the tiny woman's hands above her head. "Oh!"

"Oh?" she laughed, dipping down and chastely kissing the woman beneath her. "Is that all you have to say?" she whispered.

"Funny, suddenly everything is slipping my mind…" Cosima husked, licking her lips as she watched Delphine's eyes darken ever so slightly.

"Is that so?"

"Obvs."

She didn't bother responding, instead leaning down again to capture Cosima's lips in rather hungry kiss. Hands that were once pinned above her head were now grabbing at either side of Delphine's face, pulling her closer and deepening their embrace, taking the French-woman's bottom lip between her teeth teasingly.

Delphine whimpered, settling herself atop the sprawled body below her and allowing her hands to wander the expanse of Cosima's skin. Practiced fingers slipped under the loose shirt, scraping at the juts of her ribs beneath warm skin. Over a year of constant learning and practice had led to Delphine's confidence in herself soaring, leaving Cosima at her mercy more often than not, not that she was ever one to complain.

"So happy." she mumbled against the blonde's lips, bringing Delphine back to reality.

"What?" she breathed, pulling back to press their foreheads together.

Cosima smiled lazily, rubbing their noses together while she gripped the woman's hips. "I said, _so happy._ As in you make me so happy, Delphine."

"You make me happier." she promised, covering the small woman's face in a flutter of light kisses.

"Is that a challenge?" Cosima asked quietly, thumbs rubbing small circles over the juts of her hips.

Delphine stared at her for a moment, giving her eyes a proper reminder of just how beautiful her soulmate was. "Non." she said softly. "Non, it's a promise."

Cosima shook her head, smiling so widely that her cheeks surely hurt. "God I love you." she breathed. "Even if you're so incredibly cheesy."

"Cheesy?" she asked quietly, letting the word roll over and over on her tongue.

"Yeah. In this case it kind of means like… overly sentimental. I think it's just your French-ness coming out, though. You know, being in the motherland and all."

It was Delphine's turn to laugh this time, letting her head drop to Cosima's shoulder, kissing her just there. "My French-ness." she repeated with a giggle. "You make France seem like a world away…. motherland!"

Cosima joined her laughter, grabbing at the flesh of Delphine's exposed thigh below the fabric of her shorts. "You're so cute." she cooed, tilting her head up for another kiss, which Delphine obliged to briefly. "I can't wait for this vacation. It's going to be perfect."

"I hope so." Delphine breathed. "I don't have anything planned really... So whatever you want to do, we can."

"Even all the boring touristy stuff that I know you're going to hate?" she asked inquisitively. Delphine smile and nodded her head, letting her curls bounce freely around. "And you'll take pictures with me at all of them- _and_ let me talk to people in French?"

"Dieu." Delphine simply shrugged. How could she say ever deny her anything. She made her wait long enough almost two years ago, she had a lot of time to make up for. "Just promise me you'll ask how to say something first instead of approaching them and guessing."

Cosima pretended to toy with the idea, as if she was actually considering making an intentional fool of herself in a foreign country. Delphine huffed, swatting at Cosima's shoulder before quickly kissing the same spot, biting just gently.

"Obvs I'll ask!" she giggled, exposing a full set of teeth in her smile. "I can't wait. But I still want to explore this place first."

"Aren't you tired?" She slipped their hands together, slotting their fingers perfectly between each other and bringing their conjoined hands to her lips from a chaste kiss. "Don't you want to stay here for a moment? Maybe nap."

"Nope. I slept on the plane."

"I know." Delphine matched. "You snore. Everybody knows you slept on the plane."

Cosima rolled her eyes dramatically, shifting to press her body up behind her love's. She buried her face in the back of her lover's neck, breathing in the intoxicating smell seemed to linger there.

"You love me anyway." she said with a hidden smile. Delphine matched her grin, though she couldn't see it.

"Are you sure that you like it here?" she asked quietly, teasingly shifting her hips backwards to press against Cosima's.

"Mhmm." she whimpered, hands pulling Delphine closer as she rolled her hips forward in return. Her mouth traced the long expanse of the blonde's neck, kissing her just where she knew would drive her crazy.

As much as Delphine reveled in the feelings Cosima was giving her, she loved teasing her girlfriend back even more. She moved away, slipping from Cosima's grasp and earning an exaggerated groan as she pulled her up off the bed in tow.

"Delphiiiiiiine." she moaned. "What are you doing?"

She peered over her shoulder slyly at the woman being feigning dead weight in her arms, head thrown back in a grumpy slouch. "I thought you wanted to explore."

"We can do it later! I suddenly find myself hella tired and want to immediately get back on that bed. Like right now. We can explore the grand castle later."

"Oh now you're tired." Delphine chuckled, sticking her tongue out teasingly. "There isn't much to it, anyway. It's mostly hallways like these. A few bedrooms up here, bathrooms, an office. All the communal rooms are mostly on the first floor, kitchen, living room, parlor. Though, I think you will enjoy the office the most, the library has a few books I think you will like. Anyway, I think there's some wine downstairs that I have been dying to taste."

Grumbling, she allowed Delphine to kiss her slowly before leading her out the door and back into the hall of the estate. As stunning and pristine as it was, Cosima couldn't help but welcome the _homey_ feeling it offered. It felt as if it's been lived in, but not for a while, just maintained at this point.

"Uh, Delphine?" she pulled on their conjoined hands, grabbing her girlfriend's attention as they wandered into the rather large kitchen. "How do you know all of this? About this house and stuff?"

"Hm?" Delphine licked her lips, moving to open a cabinet of wine bottles and picking one to pour. "What do you mean?"

"What I _mean_ is that you seem like, hella knowledgeable about this place. Kind of like you've been here before."

Delphine was silent, moving across the island from Cosima and sliding her a glass of red wine. She sipped at it slowly, remembering its taste even after all these years.

"Delphine…" Cosima warned "You're avoiding my questions."

"Do you not like the wine?"

"Delphine!" Cosima pleaded, eyes wide behind her frames as she stared down her suddenly quiet girlfriend. "Come on."

"Fine." she said. "You're right... in a way. I have been here before."

Cosima grinned slyly, eyes quirking upwards. "Called it." she said. "When was this?"

Delphine finished off her wine, desperately needing the soothing warmth of the alcohol to start working, and walked slowly to the sink to rinse her glass. "Oh, em. When I was younger." she waved off.

"When you were younger…. like a baby, or a toddler? Or are we talking about like, teenage Delphine?"

"Oui." Delphine said far too quickly for Cosima's better judgment.

"What- alright! You gotta explain this one, Delphine. Because it's beginning to sound like you-"

"Used to live here?" she finished off with a small smile. "Yes."

* * *

As per usual, you're all absolutely amazing. Thanks for sticking with this story. Unfortunately, with the semester starting again, updates are probably going to be a bit far and few in between. I can assure you that I'm not abandoning the story, though. Excuse all the errors in this chapter, I didn't really have enough time to read it through as much as I wanted to, and I really just wanted to have it posted already. Thank you all so so so much for reading. Much love.


	3. Chapter 2

Her smile was slow, as steady as the realization that began to manifest in her mind. The telling grin curved upward through her cheek at a pace tentative enough to send Delphine's blood pressure soaring directly upward.

It was as if she could practically hear the pulls and groans of gears churning in Cosima's head as she began to piece together her newly acquired information, figuring it out like the brilliant scientist that she was.

"No shit!"

Cosima's open palms clapped against the stone countertop of the island repeatedly, resulting in Delphine hobbling backwards in surprise.

"I so knew it, dude. You were way too calm about the way this 'dig looks."

"Well." she hummed. "I did say that it was due time that I made a visit home." Delphine smiled, relief smoothly washing over her. "I just thought that perhaps this would be an… an ideal opportunity to do so."

"Well, I didn't think you meant literally!" Cosima rejoiced, shakingng her head back in laughter. "This is _so rad."_

"Rad…?"

"Oh. It's like, really neat." She explained, wringing her wrists between her fingers. "Something cool, hip, with the times."

"... with the times."

"Come to think of it, I think the kids these days are saying 'dope'."

She was answered with pursed lips and a quipped eyebrow, the french woman's arms slowly beginning to fold across her chest in bemusement. "I'm not sure those are even real words, let alone proper for descriptions…"

Cosima clicked her tongue, a broad grin stretching across her mouth once more and revealing her toothy smile. "I confused you a little more, didn't I?" she teased. "My bad. I mean, your home is very beautiful, Ms. Cormier."

She circled around the island, nimble fingers wrapping themselves around the swell of her girlfriend's hips, pushing her against the smooth counter.

"Oh, well merci, Ms. Niehaus." Delphine whispered just within moments of Cosima gently pressing their lips together.

She expected her instantly, mouth open and readily inviting of Cosima's antics. Delphine felt the tiny American smile, her chapped lips stretching wide across her own, the whisper of _I love you_ 's and adoration escaping from between them as they went forth on attempting to pull themselves impossibly closer.

"Ditto. Obvs." she whispered, nipping lightly as she moved across the freckled expanse of her jaw, kissing them all, each meticulously committed to memory.

" _Ditto. Obvs."_ Delphine mocked with a roll of her eyes, long fingers moving up to steady her girlfriend's jaw in her grasp, pulling her face forward for a more fulfilling kiss. She felt her shiver, smirking at the finite movement as she felt her the tug of teeth around her bottom lip.

"Cheeky."

"Always." Cosima shrugged, laughing quietly to nothing in particular.

"What is so funny, hm?" her girlfriend teased.

"Nothing."

"Nothing at all?"

"Literally nothing. Just happy." she spoke honestly, smiling ever so subtly, the curve of her lips turning inward as if biting back the lively grin. "So you really lived here, huh?"

"Mhmm." She nodded slowly, dropping her head back as she felt Cosima slip away from her embrace, moving to put some space between them.

After all this time, the woman's touch was still addictive. She caught herself actively fighting off the urge to pull her back flush against her body.

"Like really, truly, grew up in this place?

"Yes, Cosima." she said again, hands gripping her hips with light-hearted annoyance.

"Rad." she nodded. There was the foreign slang again, greeted by the Frenchwoman with a rather impressive roll of her eyes.

The more she dwelled on it, the less difficult it became for Cosima to imagine Delphine living here. She could already see a tiny blonde, petite and lanky-boned, running through the echoing halls. Already she could see a teenage version of her girlfriend nestled on the window sill to her left, probably with her a blanket crafted by her grandmother draped across her lap, a book or homework nestled atop. Perhaps young Delphine wore glasses, crooked frames that always tilted the slightest bit across the slope of her nose. She smiled at the thought, quickly realizing that she had never actually _seen_ what Delphine's life looked like before they met. Not even in photographs.

It was for the most part, left to her imagination.

In the depths of her mind, life was suddenly blossoming within the barren space of the home. Life before her, before they would have ever even began thinking about each other. That life was such a foreign thought to her now, both women much preferring to only think of their time together rather than apart.

Now for the next handful of weeks, Cosima was going to be able to give Delphine new memories in this home, new things to remember every time she opened a door or looked through a window. New thoughts to ponder and laugh about, to reminisce upon in her leisure. The idea excited the butterflies that were momentarily stagnant in her stomach, jolting them awake with a vibrant force.

It was a responsibility that only now she realized how grand it was. She wasn't just brought on a vacation, no it was far more sterling. She was invited to a very intimate space in Delphine's life, both physically in her home, and emotionally in her heart. It was a step forward in their relationship. Cosima felt as if Delphine was furthering her trust in her, which made her heart do nothing less than swell nearly right out of her chest.

Delphine watched Cosima, her eyes dancing around the kitchen, lost in some thought that was left mysterious to her. She watched her gaze up to the vaulted ceilings, traveling down the large windows that occupied the stone walls, seemingly invested in some sort of deep concentration unbenounced to her own self.

Everything was exactly how she remembered it, suddenly so grateful that her parents never gave the estate up when they decided to retire in a different city. Everything from the furniture to the silverware was exactly where she remembered it being.

Delphine had already prepared herself for the havoc her home would be met with once her hurricane of a girlfriend settled in. The countertops would soon be stained with rings of day-old tea mugs, books from her Papa's office would be stacked on window sills and bedside tables, re-creating the ambiance that she was so accustomed to having with Cosima in their own abode. If she could freeze time, she would. The moment would be too perfect to have an end.

' _Perfect.'_ she thought to herself. ' _Perfect enough for…?'_

Delphine shook her head. No, this wasn't the perfect moment, not in a kitchen on their first day in France. It wasn't anywhere near the standard she was holding herself to.

"Thank you." A quiet mumble sounded, Cosima turning on her heels to face the tired blonde. "So much."

Delphine lifted her head back up, errant curls made frizzy from the humid afternoon air tumbling over her shoulders. "For what, Cosima?"

"For this!" she exclaimed, hands moving rapidly, motioning to the grand space engulfing them. "For showing me a part of your world. I know that this is a big step for you and stuff. I just want you to know that I appreciate it. You know?"

She wasn't sure if it was the exhaustion or just the overwhelming adoration for the woman in front of her, but Delphine felt tears sting in her eyes, blurring the clarity of her girlfriend before her. She extended her arms silently, reaching for Cosima's hands and pulling her in for the tightest of hugs, needing to feel her girlfriend's body against her. "Have I told you how much I love you?" she mumbled into the crook of her neck. "How much I appreciate you?"

"Maybe once or twice?" Cosima smirked against the rise of Delphine's collarbone that her lips were pressed again. "Though I'm more of a, um, hands-on learner."

She could practically feel Delphine rolling her eyes, just barely hearing the whisper of " _cheeky_ " slip from her lips as she straightened up, resting her cheek against the coarse hair on the crown of Cosima's head, rocking them slowly in the silence of the large kitchen. Their feet carried them lazily, their steps synced perfectly as they held onto each other, comforted by the warmth of one another's bodies.

"I missed this." she said quietly, pressing a fleeting kiss to her lover's temple.

"Yeah." Cosima hummed, offering only the barest of nods. "I know what you mean."

"This is good. No interruptions"

"No lesson planning."

"No babysitting-"

"No Felix."

Delphine could barely stifle her giggle, the laugh lines along her eyes crinkling with her toothy grin. "C'est vrai."

"It's true." she huffed, fingers pinching lightly at the blonde's hip bones. "He even interrupted us on the day you were telling me about this trip! Remember?"

"I do, cherie." Delphine licked her lips, slowly prying Cosima away just enough to lead her silently out of the kitchen and to the oversized couch in the living area, allowing their tired bones to collapse in a heap around each other.

"Dude, the fireplace is sick." she finally said after a handful of moments in silence. Delphine nodded slowly before mumbling a 'merci', wrapping her arms around the petite body nestled atop hers, feeling cold feet run up and down her legs, nudging the fabric of her pants upwards slowly.

Cosima laid still, dispersing her body weight as best as she could manage across the long body beneath her, her cheek resting just atop her chest, counting the steady beats of her heart, a perfect place for Delphine to maneuver her chin atop of, snuggling Cosima's head.

"So," she yawned quietly, fingers playing with the stray hairs at the nape of neck, her other hand wrapped protectively around her. "What's the first thing you want to see in France?"

" _The Eiffel Tower!"_ Cosima practically scoffed. "You know it's on my bucket list of amazing things to see."

"It's just a structure." Delphine teased with a poke of her tongue, unable to disguise the gleeful lilt in her voice.

"Oh stop." she said. "You know you love the Eiffel Tower, you have a little mini version of it on your desk, and a picture of it in our bedroom. You _know_ you want to see it."

She merely hummed her agreement, shoulders shrugging the best they could manage laying down. "You're not wrong."

"I'm never wrong- _ow!"_ Cosima's body jumped, the faint pain from Delphine's fingers pinching lightly at her bare hip bone taking her by surprise. "Alright, alright. Shit!" she laughed.

The frenchwoman couldn't help but smile, leaning forward to kiss the top of her nose briefly before coaxing her back down into their snuggle.

"Besides, I want to go and people watch. See all the foreign lovebirds doing their silly proposals under the tower and shit."

Her body stiffened beneath the one atop her, eyes now wide as she had to think over what her ears had just registered. "I-I assumed you quite liked things like that. Don't, _em,_ don't you?"

Cosima merely shrugged. "I guess. It's kinda corny, don't you think? Proposals should be unique for every couple, at least in my opinion. I want to share that moment with me… and the love of my life." she winked, lifting her head briefly. "Not the whole world, you know?"

"You are my whole world." Delphine whispered, letting their lips meet before Cosima had a moment to respond. She kissed Cosima slowly, meticulously, a feeble attempt at distracting herself from her newly foiled plans.

"Small world you have there." Cosima mumbled against the soft mouth against her own, taking the moment to gently trace the swell of Delphine's bottom lip.

Ringed fingers scaled down the length of her body down to her hips, stilling for a moment's time before slipping up beneath the fabric of her shirt, strumming themselves on the juts of her ribs.

"Cosima, non." she whined, feeling the American's lips suck gently on her pulse point. "The travelling, my clothes… they smell like the inside of an aircraft."

"Mm. You should totally get out of them, then."

Rising onto her knees for just a moment, Cosima reached between them, unlooping the button of her girlfriends pants and tugging at the zipper downward. She shimmied her body down slowly, pressing hot, open meticulous, mouthed kisses down her sternum to her belly button as slowly as she could manage, nudging Delphine's shirt upward with her nose to nip at the warm skin beneath it.

Her fingers wrapped themselves around the denim fabric resting on the blonde's hips, pulling them down her legs at a far too painfully slow pace, making her squirm and whine atop of the couch, her name being whispered tiredly.

Cosima smirked, proud of her own cheeky antics as she travelled back up Delphine's body, pulling the shirt up and off along with her.

"Wait, wait." Long fingers wrapped around her biceps, pushing her away the slightest bit and leaving her determined kiss to instead swipe across her flushed cheek. Cosima panted above her, quirking a brow down to her girlfriend. "You really think that a proposal beneath the Eiffel Tower isn't nice?"

"Really..." Cosima laughed, pushing back up and onto her knees, giving Delphine enough room to maneuver herself upwards as well. "What's this about? I'm trying to seduce you, here." She jerked her head at the crumpled denims sprawled on the floor, wiggling her eyebrow.

"Nothing, nothing!" Delphine waved off, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth. "It just took me by surprised. That is all."

Cosima stared at her for a long while, eyes delicately searching the features of her face for any sign of distress that Delphine was so desperately trying to conceal, any secret, any doubt.

She shimmied her body closer to her girlfriend's once more, pressing a sweet kiss to her jawline.

"Tell me? Please?" she whispered quietly.

Delphine found her bottom lip caught between her teeth, tugging at it nervously as she dropped her head to shield her blushing cheeks

.

Met with silence, Cosima faltered, allowing the subject to drop. "Fine. I won't push you."

"Merci." Delphine smiled.

"I love you." she husked.

"Mhmm."

Delphine smirked, tipping her head back to stretch her neck in the most delicate of curvatures. She gave herself a moment to breath in, a grand inhale that left her lungs nearly bursting with expansion. One that was brimming with the quintessential aromas that were entirely her homeland.

The air itself was fresher, lacking the pollution of the urban streets that they were so formally accustomed to. Cosima watched the slight, melancholy smile begin to grow across Delphine's face, listening intently as she began to describe what she exactly was smelling; the wild grass, dirt, river water, and the field flowers that she onced loved to frolic in as a child. Each individual fragrance so eloquently matched with a memory, Cosima almost feeling a whim of jealousy having not experiencing it herself.

She could only continue to gaze at her girlfriend with an insurmountable amount adoration, quietly listening as she watched Delphine transport herself to a far off memory, one that was perhaps not too far off anymore. The love in the home was still pressed into every stone and floorboard, the cracks and corners home to even more.

"What're you thinking about?" she asked quietly, running a gentle finger over the swell of Delphine's bottom lip.

She quipped a small smile, pulling the finger between her teeth and nipping gently. "Nothing in particular."

"Tell me anyway." Cosima whispered.

Delphine nodded, resting her head further backward. "See those small marking on the far wall over there?" she asked quietly. Cosima glanced, the entryway wall that Delphine was motioning toward did have what seemed like scuff marks on the bottom of it.

"Yeah, a little bit." she said, wriggling her nose as an attempt to somewhat adjust her eyesight.

"That was my...how do you say. My growth marks."

"Yeah?"

"Oui. And that there," she exclaimed, pointing at the a missing stone in the very bottom of the far wall. " was when I tried to skateboard for the first and laugh time. The board, damn thing, went directly into the wall. I hadn't even managed to get myself steady on it yet."

Cosima roared, the laughter coming from deep within her belly as she visualized for a moment the scene in her head. "This is gonna be so great." she thought a loud, pulling Delphine closer, choosing to ignore the lack of clothing between them.

"Hm?"

Cosima shrugged. "Just being here, you know? With you, in this home, in your home."

"It will be." she hummed in delight as she began to slowly slide herself the rest of the way down onto the sofa cushions, laying across it's length once more. She pulled Cosima atop her, slotting their legs between each others, molding their bodies to one another carefully. It was meticulous, maybe even automic, but with a grace entirely of their own accord.

The exhaustion was finally beginning to hit them both from their travels, eyes glazing and bones weighing heavy. Long arms wrapping across the back of Cosima's petite frame, hugging her close and cradling her head into the crook of Delphine's neck. Her warm breath against her skin quickly became the pattern to follow for her breathing, virtually syncing their every move. It wasn't until Delphine began to hear the heavy, rhythmic breathing of her girlfriend did Delphine allow her own eyes to close, too lost in thought on the short days long events.

There would be time to think about rings and proposals. There would be time to plan. Right now, she just wanted to _be_. She yearned for presence, and to be present. Arms wrapped around her love, both their bodies sinking into a couch that was older than them. This was the moment she wanted to be in. This was where she wanted to be present.


End file.
